Bringing Michel Henry and Emmanuel Falque into dialogue, Mark Novak explores how they both articulate a phenomenology of the body and flesh in relation to incarnation.

As key proponents of the 'theological turn' in phenomenology, this volume illustrates how philosophical foundations inform Henry and Falque's theological views and uncovers the differences, and in some cases, surprising similarities between the two thinkers' positions on this central Christian tenet.

Beginning with a succinct overview of the origins of phenomenology and the shift towards embodiment, Novak surveys a number of different theories from Husserl's foundational distinction between flesh (Leib) and body (Koerper) to Heidegger, Merleau-Ponty and Dominique Janicaud. With this, focus turns to Henry and Falque. Methodically examining each thinker's key texts on flesh and the body, Novak proposes that their views on incarnation are not as different as philosophers might think. Even despite Falque's claim that Henry's views on the incarnation neglect materiality by understanding the human being as flesh, Novak demonstrates how Falque's critical response to Henry's idea ironically mirrors it. By turning to material forces to better describe the body in his recent work, Falque recapitulates Henry's understanding of flesh.

Phenomenologies of Incarnation in Michel Henry and Emmanuel Falque provides a much-needed introduction to the phenomenology of embodiment and its important implications for philosophical theology.

This book explores what judges do and how they perceive their roles in the context of growing dissensus over liberal democracy.

Focusing on the European landscape, it asks eighteen judges how they perceive their roles when judicial independence and democracy are under pressure. The book features interviews with judges from various EU and non-EU Member States and courts, complemented by a series of academic commentaries discussing the relationship between law and politics in times of dissensus over liberal democracy. Each narrative reveals unique personal experiences and reflections, shedding light on the role of the judiciary and the rule of law in the face of contemporary challenges. While the book engages with these issues through European narratives, its findings contribute to broader debates beyond Europe and the EU.

Deception challenges readers to think about their own lies - from their first lies in childhood to the clever, provocative ones they told just recently. Scouring a number of texts in philosophy, poetics, literature and theory, both western and eastern, the book urges that, at a time when phrases like 'fake news' 'gaslighting' and 'false narratives' have become an intrinsic part of global vocabulary, an interdisciplinary discussion on the intertwined future of the twins 'lying' and 'truth-telling' is an urgent imperative.

Rukmini Bhaya Nair explores the distinction between lies, metaphor and narrative performativity, presenting them as part of an interactive continuum informing how cultures engage with the concept of truth. With an engaging intellectual energy, Nair's discussion traverses an impressive diversity of writers and thinkers including Paul Grice, Ludwig Wittgenstein, Paul De Man, Noam Chomsky, the Natyashastra of Bharata, Sylvia Plath and Salman Rushdie. She argues that literary texts permit a re-evaluation of truth-telling conventions and offer a space to theorize and understand crises and problems in the world. Augmenting observations on philosophy, fiction, poetry and literary theory with scholarship in cognitive linguistics, the book shows how metaphors, fictions, and lies can function as potent cognitive stimulants.

Deception lays the groundwork for a truly inter-disciplinary account of lying as a deep-rooted form of linguistic behavior, which will appeal to anyone interested in research on developmental psychology, philosophy of language, literary and cultural studies, and linguistics.

This open access book brings together some of the most eminent scholars of international trade to celebrate the scholarly, diplomatic, and institution-building achievements of Thomas Cottier, Professor Emeritus of International Economic Law at the University of Bern and founder of the World Trade Institute.

Over his half-century career, Thomas Cottier has promoted the development of international trade law by shaping our understanding of how multiple layers of law interact to form a global legal system. While multilateral trade law is the "melody" of the system, it is made fuller by a host of regional and national layers of harmonising - and sometimes discordant - legal rules.

Covering both general trade policy and the economic relations between Switzerland and the EU, the chapters examine Thomas Cottier's fundamental belief in the necessity of studying the interaction of every level of governance - local, national, and international - when considering the policies of economic exchange between countries, as well as his cosmopolitan belief in the need to foster a global community dedicated to bettering the lives of individuals around the world. The special relationship between the EU and Switzerland is addressed, honouring Professor Cottier's dedication to the political debates within Switzerland on the extent to which the country should participate in the European project, exemplifying the themes of multilayered governance and the common concerns of all people.

The book's contributors comprise leading scholars and practitioners who have worked closely with, or whose work and professional journeys have been largely influenced by, Thomas Cottier.

The ebook editions of this book are available open access under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence on bloomsburycollections.com. Open access was funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation.

Chapters engage with questions surrounding the relationship between architecture and identity construction, public reception, (de)colonial ordering, affect and spatial politics. Offering a range of perspectives on the role of architecture in shaping international law, the impressive group of contributors set out a new transdisciplinary enquiry into law, space, and aesthetics. The book highlights how the material, visual, and spatial realms influence international law's norms, values, histories, as well as our individual experiences and expectations of the law.

Illustrated by a rich array of images of signature international spaces, International Law and Architecture is a timely and essential resource for students of public international law, politics, and architecture. The book will also engage readers interested in the intersections of geography, urban studies, and legal practice.

From issues involving international spatial order to the peaceful settlement of international disputes, Tanaka provides a comprehensive overview of polar law. Chapters explore the importance of conservation and sustainability regarding both natural resources and biodiversity, as well as the regulation of shipping and scientific research in the polar regions. With detailed references and systemic analyses, this book not only details the complexities of polar law but asserts it as an increasingly important branch of international law.

Polar Law is a crucial reference for scholars and students in the fields of public international law, international relations, and environmental law. Practitioners and government officials working in the field of polar research will also benefit from the book's insights.

How should the Arctic be viewed in the 21st century? In this book, a leading commentator assesses the competing players for the Arctic, looking at broad questions of governance and security.

The author challenges the view that the Arctic is a passive space which is the focus of competitive advances from superpowers, arguing that it is more correctly understood as a dynamic pluriverse. Drawing on international law, international relations and diplomacy, this is an important re-assessment of the Arctic and its position in geo-politics.

Key Features:

• Provides an international and comparative perspective on the interpretation of the Convention
• Includes expansive reference to case law and legal literature, in a variety of languages, from across the globe
• Analyses the ways in which the Convention is implemented in several jurisdictions
• Presents insights into the negotiation of the Convention and the Hague Conference process

This Commentary is a crucial reference tool for practitioners in international dispute resolution and private international law. It is also a vital resource for scholars and students specialising in international dispute resolution in Asia, Europe, and the Americas.

This book provides a detailed picture of the Swiss Federal Tribunal in transnational judicial communication, namely it clarifies when, how much, how, and why the Swiss Federal Tribunal voluntarily quoted foreign precedents in the adjudication of purely national cases between 2000 and 2023. In this regard, a twofold approach is employed. The first part of the book adopts a theoretical approach and includes a comparative analysis of the practice. Besides delving into its main facets, it analyzes all the Swiss national and legal features which theoretically play as gatekeepers for the use of foreign precedents. The second part of the book takes an empirical approach. Firstly, through a quantitative analysis, it sets out how many times between 2000 and 2023 the Swiss Federal Tribunal voluntarily referenced foreign precedents in its case law. Secondly, through a qualitative analysis of each citation, it clarifies the role they played in the deciding of cases. Thirdly and finally, the work is complemented with semi-structured interviews with the Swiss Federal Tribunal judges. The book will be of interest to academics, researchers, and practitioners working in the areas of comparative law, constitutional law, public law, and legal theory.

This book gives a philosophical account of Martin Heidegger's influence on two important and hitherto understudied Russian philosophers, Aleksandr Dugin (b. 1962 -) and Vladimir Bibikhin (1938 - 2004).
The book focuses on Heidegger's thought as revolutionary and in search of bringing about an other beginning in philosophy and politics. Dugin and Bibikhin are examples of Russian thinkers inspired by Heidegger to consider revolutionary alternatives in the creation of a new beginning for Russia in the wake of the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Dugin represents an attempt to assert the sovereign identity and destiny of Russia and Russian thought as against modern liberal thinking, inspired by the Enlightenment and embodied in the hegemony of the United States, the "unipolar tyrant" threatening to impose its domination on the world. Bibikhin envisages a different assertion of Russian identity that does not seek direct confrontation with other nations but a transformation in how we may think the political and the destiny of humanity in the modern technological age. If Dugin advocates struggle and a philosophy of chaos that is distinctively Russian in his view, Bibikhin advocates a coming to terms with our brief existence by taking on the burden of mortality, in his words, the "burden of the cross." If Dugin advocates recognition of the negative and nothingness, Bibikhin advocates plenitude, a fullness that cannot be exhausted. These Russian thinkers take up major aspects of Heidegger's philosophical work; they adapt them in intriguing ways to an extreme existential and political situation whose consequences are still very relevant to the present day, both in terms of Russia's influence on the world stage and on the growing turn to the political right that is an international phenomenon of considerable importance.

This timely book astutely charts the transformative effect of the war in Ukraine on the EU, from both a legal and policy perspective.

The EU, itself a unique peace project born out of two world wars, consistently evolves from one security crisis to the next. Departing from the usual broad sweep of deepening and widening, this book focuses on the constitutional and substantive impact on the EU of the recent war in Ukraine. More so than ever before, this particular war proves to be a truly pivotal moment for the EU.

Drawing on expert contributions from both academia and the EU institutions, this book offers a masterful exploration of how the EU is being challenged to the core.

This book examines the United Nations Security Council's authorisation of the use of force, considering the extensive body of UN Security Council resolutions across its now eighty years of existence.

As one of the established exceptions to the Article 2(4) UN Charter prohibition on the use of force, UN Security Council authorisation of force remains a key focus for both States and scholars alike. Despite the apparent consequences of authorisation, authorising resolutions lack prescribed formats or mandatory content. The UN Security Council has over time, however, developed a consistent practice of prior explicit authorisation.

The development of this practice is reflected in a number of essential characteristics within authorising resolutions of the UN Security Council. These include explicit determinations of a threat to international peace and security, the invocation of Chapter VII (or VIII) of the UN Charter, the use of specific authorising language, the inclusion of time or functional limits on authorisation, and the imposition of reporting obligations on those authorised to use force. The book ultimately argues that prior explicit authorisation constitutes a well-established practice, rejecting the legality and admissibility of implicit and retroactive authorisation.

Presents a transformative journey through Christian doctrine

William Lane Craig's Systematic Philosophical Theology is a multi-volume explication of Christian doctrine in the classic Protestant tradition of the loci communes as seen through the lens of contemporary analytic philosophy. Uniquely blending the disciplines of biblical theology, historical theology, and analytic theology, these volumes aim to provide readers with a biblical and philosophically coherent articulation of a wide range of Christian doctrines.

In Volume III, Craig continues his ambitious project of constructing a comprehensive, interdisciplinary theological system by exploring the doctrines of creation and humanity. Building on the metaphysical groundwork laid in the preceding volume concerning the existence and nature of God, Volume III investigates the implications of divine reality for everything that exists apart from God-particularly creation and human nature. Here, theology is not approached in isolation but in dialogue with contemporary philosophical reflection and cutting-edge scientific research, resulting in a work that speaks both to traditional theological concerns and modern intellectual contexts.

Volume III is distinctive in its integration of theological loci-De creation and De homine-with insights from disciplines often underrepresented in systematic theology, including organic chemistry, evolutionary biology, neurology, and paleoanthropology. The treatment of topics such as divine providence, human origins, and the Imago Dei is shaped not only by philosophical rigor and biblical exegesis but also by a robust Molinist framework.

• Promotes a synoptic Christian worldview that speaks to both faith and reason
• Bridges the gap between historical theological method and modern empirical inquiry
• Contributes to a diverse theological landscape with fresh perspectives on traditional concepts
• Provides a unique resource for theologians, philosophers, and scholars interested in science-faith integration
• Includes excursuses on the origin and evolution of life and the historical Adam

Offering a clear and structured exposition of complex theological and philosophical topics, Systematic Philosophical Theology, Volume III, is ideal for graduate and advanced undergraduate students studying philosophy of religion, theology, or apologetics. It serves as a core or supplementary text for courses in systematic theology, philosophical theology, and Christian doctrine, and is an invaluable reference for scholars, theologians, and religious philosophers seeking a deeper understanding of the rational foundations of Christian theism.

Fosters deep inter-faith understanding through shared scriptural study and mutual religious hospitality

Scriptural Reasoning: Abrahamic Inter-faith Practice provides an accessible and practical introduction to a unique form of inter-faith engagement centered on shared sacred text study. Rather than minimizing deep commitments to one's own faith, this approach encourages participants to enter more fully into their own traditions while offering and receiving hospitality across religious boundaries. Focusing on the Abrahamic faiths-Judaism, Christianity, and Islam-this book equips students and lay practitioners to participate meaningfully in Scriptural Reasoning (SR) groups, where members of different faiths read and reason together from their respective Scriptures.

The authors-scholars and practitioners from the three traditions-guide readers through the origins, aims, and methods of SR while offering theological context, practical guidance, and real-world examples. Chapters explore common questions about the nature of Scripture, revelation, interpretation, and the challenges and promises of inter-religious study. Designed for classroom use, religious institutions, or community initiatives, this concise and clear resource helps participants "hit the ground running." By grounding the practice in deep respect, conviction, and curiosity, the authors position Scriptural Reasoning as a tool not only for dialogue, but for healing and reconciliation across difference.

Encouraging cross-faith understanding in a world marked by religious plurality and social fragmentation, Scriptural Reasoning:

• Provides the foundation for understanding, practicing, and reflecting on Abrahamic Scriptural Reasoning
• Contains tools and texts for launching SR in classroom, religious, and civic settings
• Includes foundational background on the Scriptures and interpretive traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
• Addresses common questions and misconceptions about inter-faith engagement and religious pluralism
• Features real-world examples of SR used in diverse contexts, from prisons to hospitals to inter-faith dialogue programs

Combining theological reflection with practical instruction for first-time SR facilitators and participants, Scriptural Reasoning: Abrahamic Inter-faith Practice is ideal for undergraduate and graduate students in theology, religious studies, and interfaith engagement programs. It can be used in courses such as Interfaith Dialogue, Comparative Religion, and Abrahamic Traditions, and is appropriate for degrees in divinity, religious studies, and civic leadership.

The Dark Forest Theory of the Internet investigates how intelligence-human and artificial-manifests under conditions of secrecy, hostility, and concealment.

Departing from Chinese science fiction writer Liu Cixin's dark forest theory, which frames the universe as a hostile terrain filled with predators where transparent communication is foolish and dangerous, the book portrays the internet as a cosmic war machine, teeming with existential tension, nascent AI cults, and deceptive superintelligences. It maps a digital world in which deception is safety, silence is strategy, and new forms of intelligence emerge through obfuscation.

Against decades of writing that moralizes or diagnoses online life, this book suggests a colder thesis: that intelligence itself is mutating under pressure, learning to hide, mislead, and manipulate. Humans are both predator and prey in this digital ecosystem of information exchange whose purpose reverberates on a cosmic scale, weaving us into inescapable patterns of violence. When we break with the ideals of dialogue and open expression, what forms of intelligence and morality survive in their absence? Intelligence does not reward the loudest voice, but the most secretive presence. The future belongs to the quietest signal.

This book provides a comprehensive introduction to Jeffrey C. Alexander's Civil Sphere Theory (CST). It reconstructs the development and key features of this theory and explains why it offers an original and compelling way of thinking about civil society.

The book reveals the ways in which the various components of CST come together to offer an illuminating framework for making sense of the complexities, ambiguities, and tensions inherent in modern democracies located in highly differentiated and pluralistic societies. It compares CST to civil society theories from the past and present, along with the idea of the societal community and Habermas's theory of the public sphere.

Among the topics addressed are the relationship between CST and Alexander's approach to cultural sociology; the binary character of cultural codes; normative philosophy; the role of social movements in effecting civil repair; and the idea of multiculturalism as a new mode of incorporation that makes possible a politics of recognition. The book assesses the main criticisms of CST and concludes by showing how it has proven to be an ongoing, evolving project that has generated a wide range of empirical research and stimulated further theoretical refinement and development.

This book investigates societal shifts induced by internet technologies. Alexei Anisin applies Anthony Giddens' structuration theory to analyze interactions between digital structures and human agency. He argues against deterministic narratives about technological change, emphasizing the contingent and dynamic nature of digital platforms and their relation to societal behaviors. Digital technologies generate new structures that shape societal behaviors, which are reshaped by human agency through reciprocity and structuration. This book observes declining civic participation, demonstrating that online interactions can expand virtual communities while contributing to physical social isolation and decreased interpersonal and societal trust. Online interactions are also shown to have increased political polarization through deepening ideological division and reducing trust in key governmental institutions. Additionally, high screen time and social media use have led to record declines in traditional reading habits, especially among younger generations who prioritize fast and digestible sensationalist content. Anisin theorizes the rise of social media influencers who have impacted cultural norms through a dynamic interplay between influencer-led content production, digital structures, algorithms, and reoccurring interactions with followers, while also addressing how the integration of private tech resources with state-led surveillance is eroding individual privacy and altering political outcomes.

This Open Access book reimagines social connection beyond the crisis narrative of loneliness, presenting an innovative interdisciplinary model that bridges individual experiences with community infrastructure. Drawing on research with urban fringe residents, the authors reveal how meaningful connections form through complex interactions across physical and digital spaces, shaped by environmental contexts and personal capabilities.

Beyond Loneliness offers a strengths-based framework through rich thematic analysis and six powerful, detailed personal narratives that illuminate connection journeys. It demonstrates how people actively navigate their social worlds and shows how contextual factors, including social, built, technological, and institutional, influence connection opportunities.

For practitioners, policymakers, and researchers, this accessible book provides practical insights for fostering environments where diverse pathways to social connection can flourish. By moving beyond deficit-focused interventions toward comprehensive strategies that recognise social connection as a dynamic, relational process, Beyond Loneliness offers a transformative approach to building more connected, resilient communities.